Innovation, change and uncertainty; factors we all know too well in our lives, and in our businesses. How do we adapt to this, and most importantly, how do we make sure we don't get left behind? On October 26, Sue Elliot, Manager, Training & Customer Relations at MCE, and I attended the Niagara Economic Summit hosted by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) on how to drive Niagara's economic future. While the event was Niagara centric, the concepts are relevant to any organization trying to keep up with the speed at which the world is changing.
Hearing leaders from organizations such as IBM, Canada Post, Niagara College, and more discuss how they continue to adapt and keep up with change was very inspirational. Of course, with innovation, change and uncertainty comes risk. However, as Director of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs at IBM Canada, Dave Robitaille, put it, "You're one innovation away from being left behind."
What happens when you don't keep up? Just look at what happened in the retail industry when Amazon was founded and in the taxi industry when Uber launched
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Hearing from Len Diplock, Canada Post's Senior VP of Strategy and Corporate Marketing, on the topic of transformational change was certainly a highlight of this event. As a letter-centric organization, Canada Post had to adapt to the decline of paper mail. They underwent a physical transformation, innovated their customer service and delivery and shifted their focus to parcels. Since 2015, they have been Canada's number one parcel deliverer. Quite the transformation!
So how do you thrive in this ever-changing age of uncertainty? Be prepared and plan for the possibilities, foster collaboration with other organizations, be nimble and have the courage to make changes in your organization!
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